Handling Hermit Crab Pets: Good or Bad?
Hermit crabs are fascinating little creatures that continue to gain popularity. While they make interesting, low-maintenance pets, they are quite delicate and do require very specific care to keep them healthy and happy. In this post, we’ll look at whether handling hermit crab pets is good or bad (spoiler alert: it’s both!).
Why Handle Hermit Crab Pets at all?
Handling hermit crabs is necessary for several reasons:
- Periodic inspections for any health problems
- Moving for regular habitat cleaning and maintenance
- Acclimation to your hand so they don’t stress every time they see it
Remember, a great big hand entering their habitat is what they see every day! Your big hand comes into their home to feed them, give them water, move things around. It’s a good idea to make sure they are at least somewhat comfortable with your hand.
For more on how hermit crabs see your hand, and you, if they can recognize you and more, see my post “Can Hermit Crabs See?” here.
And here’s a super short video from the persective of a hermit crab (click over to youtube)!
Not all Hermit Crabs Like Being Handled
Hermit crabs are all distinct and individual in their level and tolerance for most everything! They all seem to have their own opinions on what foods they like, how the prefer to bathe, where they like to sleep and hide, how deep they like to burrow AND how much tolerance they have for the big hand picking them up and moving them around!
However, it IS important that your hermit crabs are comfortable with your hand entering their habitat, minimally so they don’t get stressed out! It’s important for them to at least be comfortable enough that you can lift them up and inspect their legs, making sure all segments are in tact and movement is good. It’s also a good idea to make sure their movement is good coming from their shell, that there’s no obstruction or rot or anything odd.
For more on hermit crab behaviors, see my post “Hermit Crab Behaviors”
Not all hermit crabs enjoy being handled, and some will become stressed or frightened which can have a negative impact on their health. Therefore, it’s very important to have patience and slowly let them get to feel more comfortable with your hand in their habitat, and slowly handle them when needed.
No sudden movements, keep them near their substrate level whenever possible, and make sure your hands are always clean.
How to Safely Handle Hermit Crab Pets
When anyone does handle your hermit crabs, it’s important to do so in a safe and gentle manner. Here are some tips to help you handle your pet properly:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before handling your crab. This helps to prevent the transfer of bacteria, oils, moisturizers etc. that could harm your pet. Support your crab’s entire body. Hold the shell security with one hand, and keep your other hand underneath.
- Be mindful of your pet’s pincher! They use it to secure themselves to branches and trees, for protection against bullies and it’s a natural reflex for them to use it, so watch for it because they WILL use it to pinch whatever it comes close to (your hand or finger included)! The larger the hermit crab, the stronger their pinch gets!
Keep handling sessions short. Long handling sessions can be stressful for your pet, so it’s best to keep them brief.
NEVER dig for your crab or handle them during molting or for the day or two just after, as they are particularly vulnerable during this time.
Keep them as close to their substrate and the bottom of their habitat as possible IN CASE they accidentally get dropped! Dropping them on a hard surface can cause their shell to crack, dislodge their soft bodies from the shell, and cause leg injuries.
Is Handling Hermit Crab Pets Good or Bad?
Handling your hermit crabs is BOTH good AND bad! Having hermit crabs that are tolerant of handling is a good thing. Make sure to keep your hands clean, and always try to keep them close to their substrate in case they pinch you and you accidentally drop them (it happens, especially with kids and larger hermit crabs!). Get to know your hermit crab’s individual tolerance and fear level, and be patient with them. Always err on the side of caution and avoid handling them if they act fearful or stressed out.
In conclusion, handling hermit crab pets is both good and bad. It’s necessary, so you should work to make them comfortable with it. But too much handling brings risks for exposure to bacteria, etc. and also the possibility they might get dropped. It’s important to accept that hermit crabs are NOT a cuddly, warm and fuzzy type of pet. Respect their nature and try to provide a habitat and care that most resembles that which they live in, in nature and the wild.
Last update on 2024-05-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API